Why can't Americans have the same health care coverage as Congress?

OpinionJournal.com - Thinking Things Over ^ | 9/18/03 | ROBERT L. BARTLEY

[Huber]

Why can't Americans have the same health care coverage as Congress?

Our solons are just now scattered around the country far from the Beltway conventional wisdom, so they may be in an educable mood. If you have the opportunity, dear reader, sidle up to a Congressperson and ask: On this health care business, why not give the rest of us the same choices you've given yourself?

[Huber]

Note the comparison to Soviet planning ala GOSPLAN!

[goldstategop]

One health coverage plan for the politicians another one for the sheeple. What, they don't think theirs is good enough for the peasants? You gotta wonder why in the world we can't have the same health plan they and federal employees already have.

[gunnedah]

Why cant we all have the same health care and retirement plan as our congress?
The whole bunch should be put out to pasture, maybe Americans are finally awakening!

[chiefqc]

The same reason you can't have, a pension plan that pays you more after you retire than when you work, a pay raise that takes affect weather you vote for it ir not, a medical plan so much better than the rest of the people and stays in affect even after you leave and for life.

This group has no desire or clue how to solve problems that effect the people who elect them. Their main purpose is to better their own position. They have no reason to fix medicare and social security as they are not part of these plans.

I truely believe that they should not have anything different that those who elect them. If this were the way it would work, a lot of our current problems with health and retirement plans would be fixed ASAP.

[chainsaw]

Why can't Americans have the same health care coverage as Congress?

We can! But we'll have to demand it and very loudly too.

[gunnedah]

I agree they should not be entitled to more than those who elect them. Also we need term limits to get rid of those who are in control and stay in power by controlling the system. We will never force congress to work together as long as you keep the same leaders in place year after year. Instead of using their seniority to better the country they fill their pockets and special interest at the expense of the rest of us.
This applies to both parties and they have made it a contest of Democrat and Republic, or us and them instead of the over all good for all.

[Drammach]

Likewise, every chance you get to express the differences between citizen and federal employees programs, do so.

Make it a point to publicly shame every congressman / senator that takes advantage of the people.

And do it often.

[freekitty]

Yeah, why not? And while we are at it; why can't we have the same retirement plan as Congress? I hear it's golden.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[u-89]

> This group has no desire or clue how to solve problems that effect the people who elect them. Their main purpose is to better their own position.

Walter Williams suggest that each member of congress should get a milllion dollars a year provided they stay out of Washington and pass no laws. $535 million in salaries sounds like a lot of money but think of the money these clowns blow each year and the cost to the economy of things they screw up with their meddling. We'd be getting off cheap at 5 times the price.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BUMP